Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. This post talks about phrases people use when they feel scared.
Scared Idioms
Here are 20 scared idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
Shake like a leaf
Meaning: To tremble with fear
Example: She shook like a leaf during the storm.
Scared stiff
Meaning: Extremely scared
Example: He was scared stiff at the haunted house.
Chicken out
Meaning: To back out from fear
Example: I almost skydived but chickened out at the last second.
Jump out of one’s skin
Meaning: To be extremely startled
Example: I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the spider.
Scared out of one’s wits
Meaning: Very frightened
Example: She was scared out of her wits by the noise.
Frightened to death
Meaning: Extremely scared
Example: He’s frightened to death of snakes.
Quaking in one’s boots
Meaning: Trembling with fear
Example: The little boy was quaking in his boots during the thunderstorm.
Get cold feet
Meaning: To hesitate because of fear
Example: He got cold feet before the interview.
Have butterflies in one’s stomach
Meaning: Feel nervous or anxious
Example: She always has butterflies in her stomach before a test.
Make one’s blood run cold
Meaning: To terrify someone
Example: That scream made my blood run cold.
Heart in one’s mouth
Meaning: To feel very nervous
Example: His heart was in his mouth during the climb.
Shake in one’s shoes
Meaning: To tremble from fear
Example: She was shaking in her shoes when she met the big dog.
Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: To sweat from fear or nervousness
Example: He broke out in a cold sweat as he approached the stage.
White as a ghost
Meaning: Very pale due to fear
Example: She turned white as a ghost when she heard the news.
Send shivers down one’s spine
Meaning: Cause a feeling of fear or disgust
Example: That eerie music sends shivers down my spine.
Fear-stricken
Meaning: Struck with fear
Example: They were fear-stricken at the sight of the wildfire.
Panic-stricken
Meaning: Overwhelmed with panic
Example: The crowd was panic-stricken after the alarm sounded.
Hair stand on end
Meaning: To be very scared
Example: That story made my hair stand on end.
Scared the life out of me
Meaning: Extremely scared someone
Example: You scared the life out of me jumping out like that!
Creeped out
Meaning: Feeling of unease or fear
Example: That old portrait creeped me out.
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